Take a Walk Outside!

I went for a walk today outside with the dog, Jellybean. She sits outside every day in her boring pen, on cement, with just a rug. Her doghouse was thrown out a while ago because it... I can't remember, was so chewed up? Or it wouldn't snap back together after we'd taken it apart to clean it so many times? Something like that.

But I have this weird feeling that her eyes are sad, and I don't know what to do about it. I wish we spent more time with her. It FRUSTRATES me that she lives in that pen all her life, and only gets to come out of it two different hours of the day, morning and night, to eat and walk. But that's boring. Why do we have a dog if she only serves to be a chore twice a day? She's not a companion or someone to hang out with, she's a task. Arrrggg. My family is particular about things like germs and things, so it's hard to change rules like this. Jellybean will run away if we let her run loose, and she would dig under a fence. A leash or some sort of other device might work, but the repercussions are uncertain (getting tangled, electric fence ineffective, etc) and so I just don't see a solution to her solitude problem....

Anyway, we walked around the pond today. There are two separate pools, separated by one large bridge, and another bridge over a creek a little down the ways, and over by a large shade of trees, willow, and other deciduous-- a log-bridge spans a smooth pathway of water. I sat on the log-bridge today, in my jeans, pink boots dangling, even though it was a little damp, with Cat trying to climb into my lap, and Jellybean carelessly balancing on her four feet. The larger pool, in view ahead of us, was very smooth and still, like glass, with the beautiful willow tree draping gracefully, evening down to the tips of limey leaves like slender fingers, barely disturbing the delicate surface. Since it has been raining here for days, the grass everywhere is as green as if it was dyed with HOT green St. Patrick's day dye. It's so beautiful! And very calm. It was evening, about five o'clock, when I went out. Now, it's twilight and the willow's leaves have become black silhouettes against the grey-blue.

The clouds were gray, and the air was cool but not cold. The prettiest thing is all those deep, bright, apple-red leaves on the trees, and the orangey-brown ones on the ground. There are even a few trees with a soothing, refreshing color of yellow still on their branches, but with the weather lately, the trees are starting to show their skeletons, like a mourning in preparation for winter. But I like winter-- the contrast between the hot and cold makes me think of Christmas-- warm twinkling colors, hot soup, warm socks and slippers, and the smell of heat coming from the furnace. I like that familiar "whhhoooooooSSSSHHH" it makes when it turns on-- and when I'm cold enough to accept more heat. It feels very nice.... Lately it has begun to smell like Christmas around the house.

I'm sorry, am I bugging you with this talk about Christmas? It's really only supposed to be Halloween. And the weather is certainly appropriate. I can see why so many people refer to Fall as their favorite season. It's really captivating.